


alone and overboard

by onwardlexa (NoxWrites)



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Braven and Linctavia are in here, F/F, Fluff, Mermaids, Multi, Some angst, dark waters!au, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 12:45:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7845514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoxWrites/pseuds/onwardlexa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clarke Griffin moves into Arkadia City with her adoptive-sister Raven after a family accident. A place of new beginnings and new mysteries. The girls go through a new start in life while sifting through some issues concerning locals and newly discovered mermaids. </p><p>or </p><p>dark waters!au</p>
            </blockquote>





	alone and overboard

**Author's Note:**

> hey everyone, so here it is! The first chapter is short and a real set up to the rest of the fic but I hope you enjoy! (this chapter is not beta-ed so pardon the errors!
> 
> find me on tumblr @ onwardlexa

__It still feels like yesterday, the ghostly hands stroking over her head, soothing her hair. It shouldn’t have happened as it did, her shoulders tense and a moment of breathing before she relaxes.

 

“Of all places, you choose the one with worst reception,” a sigh from the passenger seat catches Clarke’s attention. 

 

_ Arkadia City, Sea of Wonder  _ the last line was crossed off and replaced with,  _ Sea of Monsters.  _ She scoffs while Raven practically breaks into laughter, her eyes roll before putting them back on the road. 

 

She pulls into the city, no skyscrapers, old houses, the cars looked like they walked out of the 50s. Clarke stuck out like a sore thumb. It took them awhile but Clarke’s directions were right, twenty minutes up a hill and the second house in the cul-de-sac. 

 

The two of them walk out of the car and to the front door of the two story oriental house. No places with memories. A complete restart. Clarke takes in a breath before walking out to retrieve the bags from the truck. 

 

There’s a sense of peace and serenity when an ocean current slams into the cliff that supports the neighborhood. The sun casting a light of pale colors along the beach cliff side. She takes a moment to just remember this is a place of beginnings, her and Raven can start over. 

 

“Hello?”

 

She breaks from pulling Raven’s science suitcase out of the trunk,  _ who seriously needs a biochemical kit at home.  _

 

The voice belongs to a brunette. Her hair was tied back in a sweaty ponytail, her lips are chapped from dehydration, green eyes pumping with adrenaline. Clarke could see the puffs of breath coming from her rosy cheeks. Her toned arms are exposed to the chill of a morning breeze, the neon yellow dri-fit shirt’s sleeves were rolled up. A pair of black leggings showing toned calves. 

 

“Hi,” she looks up at the woman with lips turned into a smile. 

 

“You’re the Griffins?” She checks her watch with a confused expression painted on her. 

 

“Yes, well-” Clarke’s rudely interrupted by Raven’s scream. 

 

“Octavia and Bellamy got here a day early! Beach party at their place!” Raven shouts and stops in her tracks at the sight of a foreign individual, a smirk finds itself on her face. “Hey cutie.” 

 

“Oh you two are...” the woman looks to Clarke hesitantly, clearly not wanting to overstep. 

 

“No, she’s just a pest of a sister.” Clarke finally gets back to the science suitcase. 

 

“Oh, anyway. I’m Alexandria, Alexandria Woods.” Her hand doesn’t go to shake Clarke’s but pulls the suitcase out to help the blonde.

 

“Thank you,” Clarke turns to Raven. “Raven take your damn shit to the second floor.” With a nod Raven is down the patio and at the trunk to roll the suitcase up the driveway. 

 

“I’m Clarke Griffin. That is Raven Reyes. Well, Griffin but that’s just legal bullshit.” She smiles, a welcoming hand extends to Alexandria. “Is it right to assume we’re neighbors?”

 

“Sort of, I live the next block over.” Alexandria’s hand had a soft palm with a firm grip. 

 

Clarke’s expressionless face shifts for a moment with a small line smile. Alexandria nods her head, looking particularly uninterested.  

 

“Yeah, anyway, it was nice to meet you,” with that her earphones were back in her ears and she takes off around the corner. 

 

Raven has a shit eating grin with raised eyebrows on her face from the patio. Clarke rolls her eyes before pulling out two suitcases. 

—

It’s a two hour process, pulling things out from the trunk and setting them up. With no want of old furniture they ended the unpacking session with a blanket in the main living room and turkey sandwiches. 

 

_ He loved turkey sandwiches.  _ Her heart feels too heavy to be held by veins and organs. Raven’s hand finds her shoulder and the two share a look. It’s not understanding because they both were in two types of pain but it was a silent recognition that things will get better. 

 

“Let’s get going.” Clarke finishes the last bite before standing to fetch her keys. 

 

Raven follows suit out to the truck, a small pristine thing among all the banged up Jeeps and Volkswagens. Clarke looks at the keys then the car before coming to a realization; she lets it settle in her mind before entering the car. 

 

The drive is quick, just down their hill and around a corner to the beach beneath the cliff. It’s a single modern era house, curved doors and a flat inclining roof. It’s no different, the new model car still sticks out. She brushes the thought off, it’s to be dealt with at a later time. 

 

The parking is a little odd. Clarke ends up in between two trees with the cliff next to the driver’s door. Raven coaxes her onward, walking up to the beach house lit with banter and shouts. It’s louder than anticipated and Clarke is already losing control. The two stop in front of a large oak door,  _ The Blake’s _ , carved in calligraphy along the top. Before either can even knock, Octavia’s bright face, and smile is dragging them into the house. 

 

“Clarke! Raven!” Octavia has to shout to be barely audible compared to the music. Raven embraces their childhood friend, allowing Clarke a moment to actually breathe. 

 

The lights are bracing, bright neon colors line the walls and light projectors against the ground. The music comes from a large surround sound system; the furniture looks to be actually shaking. 

 

Clarke’s head is spinning, her brows furrow and she can’t take it. Her hands grasp at the wall, clenching and unclenching. She can feel part of her knuckles scrape against the stucco. The first door she sees is the glass patio door, no one’s outside so she takes her leave. 

 

The noise becomes muffled music and shouts. It’s easier to focus and breathe, the smashing shore line is easy to keep in time with her breathing. 

 

“Griffin?” Her head is calm for a moment, her last name grounds her back to reality. Bellamy stands in the threshold, walking forward to kneel next to Clarke. “How is it going?”

 

There are unshed tears threatening to fall but Bellamy’s presence is a pleasant surprise. Her voice is almost inaudible, “Bell.”

 

His arm immediately comes to cover her shoulders, “It’s alright.” She lets her head fall on his shoulder, the comfort of his familiarity fills her with a warmth she had yet to feel in a long time. 

 

The soft sigh of her shoulders relaxing lets her fall into the shaggy-haired boy more. Her hand goes to grip his shirt and with a shaking breath the two stand up together, his arm still holding her close. Their entrance back to the party is quieter than her exit, the music has been turned down and most party-goers have made their leave. 

 

Octavia’s approach is quiet and slow, she comes up to Clarke and gives her a quick hug. “Everyone except friends were sent home. I didn’t really think this through, I’m sorry.” 

 

“It’s okay.” Clarke embraces her friend tightly, leaving Bellamy’s presence to be greeted by new warmth from the younger Blake sibling. 

 

Raven claps her hands behind everyone, “Well, let’s get to the beach, yeah?”

 

Everyone nods their heads, grabbing towels from the patio and walking to the beach. Clarke’s shoes are the first thing to go, followed by her shirt and pants. Clad in a black bikini, she puts her hair in a quick bun in order to keep her blonde hair dry. 

 

She lays the cyan towel along the beach but forgets it as soon as it drops, running off to the water in order to chase Raven. The older girl having thrown a pile of sand onto her clothes. The deep blue enticing the girls to race on, Clarke follows Raven deeper into the ocean only to be stopped by the freezing cold of the ocean’s water. 

 

The shouts of the Griffin sisters echo through the tiny cove near the Blake residence. Raven runs out of the cold water immediately, Bellamy’s arms wrap around her and lift her up and away from the freezing ocean.

 

“Bellamy! Put me down!” Her laughter outweighs her actual seriousness. He sets her down only to turn around and allow her to crawl on his back. The two run around the beach like teenagers, trying to make up for lost time. Her arms hold against his neck, his smile bright and full of happiness. Octavia’s laughter can be heard from a mile away, Clarke has no control over her own laughter that bubbles up from her lungs. 

 

She spins around in the ocean water, goosebumps still rising on her pale skin. It’s peaceful and serene, the moonlight painting white streaks across the expanse of the ocean. Stars painted in water, her back to her friends and her head tilts up, Clarke can easily bask in the moonlight. It’s a calm sensation but her thoughts are still current in her head. Her heart still feels heavy but small moments of bliss let the pain slip out of sight even for a moment. 

 

It’s in that moment that a sliver of sparkling pink catches her eye. There are no salmon in Arkadia City, or none that Clarke was aware of. It catches her eye as it goes farther out, distancing itself from Clarke but staying in her view. When it’s head springs above water for a moment Clarke is in shock. It’s no salmon, it’s a woman. Silky brown hair falls into the water, already dry from surfacing, and familiar green eyes. She can’t quite tell where the familiarity comes from but it’s nice, the woman doesn’t come closer but doesn’t back away. Clarke turns to see if her friends are noticing the same woman but comes to realize she isn’t at the cove anymore. 

 

They’re in the middle of the ocean; no rock formations, no shorelines, no lights. Her breathing hitches with shock as the woman’s gaze is still on her when she turns back around. She moves forward, not lead by fear but a sense of wonder. As soon as her foot settles into the sand her stomach is turning inside out. She wants to throw up but her stomach calms itself, when she goes to look around the rock formations are back and her friends are still full of laughter. 

 

Her mysterious woman is gone, ripples of her last location the only proof she even was there. She shakes her head to rid herself of the experience, deciding to walk back to her friends than some unreal vision. 

 

On the beach Bellamy is assaulting Raven’s temples and cheeks with feather light kisses, Octavia sits on her towel while pretending to gag. Clarke laughs as she returns to shore, Bellamy wraps himself around Raven. When the moon is out of sight, right behind the cliffside of Clarke’s neighborhood, the group heads back into the house. She has the urge to ask what she saw even though she has yet to believe she was in the middle of the ocean.

 

Raven and Clarke thank the Blake’s before returning their towels and heading to the truck. Raven, quieter than usual, has her hand rubbing at Clarke’s back. The two return home shortly after their leave from the Blake residence. Parking the car is easier than it was down at the Blake’s, their driveway is clear of any obstacles so she leaves it diagonal for an easier exit in the morning. 

 

Raven’s already out of the truck by the time Clarke physically locks the door. Turning around, her vision is assaulted by a woman in a black bikini top and board shorts with salmon trimming. Her hair was dripping wet and onto the towel that relaxed on her shoulders. Clarke watched as a lone droplet rolls down her arms, following the curve of the toned muscles. Her mouth becoming dry as it falls from the woman’s elbow to the side of her stomach. Clarke’s eyes stop following as the water spreads to the woman’s board shorts but continue along her stomach, across toned abs and a noticeable v-line. 

 

“Clarke, right?” The woman’s tone is lax and soft. Clarke bites her bottom lip as her eyes return to piercing green staring back at her, it goes to fast but Clarke swears she saw a hint of a smirk. 

 

“Yeah.” She forgets where she is for a moment until Raven is shouting obscene nonsense from the second floor. “Alexandria, right?” 

 

She nods and brings the towel to her hair, wringing it out so the water falls to the ground or into the towel. “Yes, most people call me Lexa though.” She pulls the towel down and away from her hair, wrapping it around her hips instead.

 

“ _ Lexa _ .” She tries it out on her tongue, the way the last syllable rolls off and dances in the air. “I like it.” Her smile is bright as she looks at Lexa, the girl nods her recognition before she begins walking again. She turns as the brunette passes her, “If you don’t mind me asking, why were you out so late?” 

 

Lexa turns, stopping in her tracks and Clarke has to do a double-take. Her eyes shine bright under the moons dying light, the same familiarity of the swimming woman’s eyes twinkles in Lexa’s. As soon as she notices it, it’s gone, a trick of the light most likely. “I could ask you the same thing, Clarke.”

 

“Beach party,” she shakes her keys as if that would explain anything further. 

 

“The one with the Octavia and Bellamy, if I recall correctly.” The girl was right and Clarke only nods in her agreement, “Swim.” Lexa shakes her towel, mocking Clarke’s actions with the keys. “Have a goodnight, Clarke.” 

 

She disappears around the corner of the block, leaving Clarke alone in the dead of midnight with only her thoughts and Raven’s shouts. When she hears something fall and clash her eyes roll to the back of her head. 

—

_ She can’t see anything clearly. The world is layered in a black fog and the only light is the ghost of a city miles away. How she sees it is a mystery. Muffled shouts and cries cause her heart to jump and race. She realizes it’s a race she won’t be winning.  _ Run, now!  _ is the only thing she hears over the muffled screaming and it’s all she actually does. Her legs move in a random direction, the black fog not allowing her to see what’s in front of her.  _

 

_ Where there is no light, Clarke can clearly see images. Her father at her 9th birthday, Raven moving in, Finn Collins moving in. They were all happy memories, things she thinks of when she isn’t having a good day, things she loves. The atmosphere doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be happy. The black fog is heavier, she breathes it in and it feels like tainted water has filled her throat. _

 

_ She has to stop, no matter how much the voices are yelling at her and screaming, she has to stop. Her heart rate is erratic and her breathing even more so. _

 

No, Run! Don’t stop _ , the voices are closer than before. She backs away slowly from the source but it’s echoing and changing and distorting.  _

 

_ When her back hits a wall she turns, her dad stares down at her. “Clarke!”  _

 

It’s blinding as she wakes, the black fog nowhere in sight, only the light of windows with no blinds. She rolls on the hard floor, the bed delivery not to arrive for two days, her hand pats the floor to find her phone. 

 

_ 6:24pm.  _ Clarke picks up the phone before kicking off her blanket and making her way to the kitchen. 

 

“Raven?” She’s met with silence. “Raven!” A loud  _ thud _ and a disgruntled moan let's Clarke know that Raven is in fact awake now.

 

She looks around the kitchen, no toaster, no coffee machine, no silverware, nothing. It’s with an exasperated sigh that she decides to write Raven a quick note on the empty fridge,  _ Grocery shopping, be back later. _

 

The truck shines compared to the entire cul-de-sac. She stares at the silver shining truck, then to the rusted and battered cars along the street. The thought she saved for later coming to the front of her mind again. 

—

She exits the mechanic shop with her keys tapping against her thigh. A small note is in her hand with  _ Lot 12 _ scribbled on, she walks around the parking lot to the right of building. The numbers are clearly painted on the ground so lot 12 is easy to find, the baby blue 1970 Opel Kadett sitting in its assigned spot.

 

She sits in the old rusted car, the tearing leather brings her an odd comfort. Starting the engine is not quite so calming, it spits and hisses before coming to life and allowing her to back out of the parking lot. She heads home slowly, testing the engine and how far she is able to push it before it starts acting up.

 

On her second stop before her cliff something catches her eye, the sun’s reflection rocks back and forth in her vision as it bounces from a metal sign waving in the wind. She slides her glasses on over her eyes, looking at the darker image of a group of people. All their signs waving are painted with poorly done mermaids and fishes, large X’s painted over and some with horrible catchphrases. Her personal favorite of;  _ Mermaids swim in our ocean, but they only cause a commotion.  _

 

She rolls down the window to hear the chants of angry protestors, all of them shouting their nice anger with a slew of obscenities following. Her eyes roll in the back of her head as she relaxes back in the car. She had no problem with the mermaid discovery of 1999,  _ he loved them, said reality was saved with this discovery _ . 

 

Clarke rolls the window back up, mad at herself for letting the memories blend with the present. She shakes when the car behind her honks, the light had turned green in her moment of recollection. Putting her middle finger up in between the two front seats so the car behind her can see, she continues down the road and up to the house. 

 

The honk of the Kadette was atrocious but it caught Raven’s attention enough for her to come out of the house. 

 

“What the fuck, is that?” Raven looked horrified. 

 

Clarke was now sitting on the window sill and leaning on the roof of the car, “New mechanical project?”

 

To Clarke’s surprise Octavia came out behind the taller girl, “That is a death trap. Where is your truck?”

 

“Traded it in,” Clarke slid back into the car, opening the door properly and exiting the vehicle. She spun the keys around her finger as she approached the patio.

 

Octavia rolled her eyes before walking back into the house. Clarke chuckles one last time before walking up to the patio to follow the two inside.

 

“So where are the groceries?” Raven’s inquiry starts as soon as she’s through the door.

 

Clarke stops in the middle of the open floor kitchen, “Groceries?” Octavia scoffs as the blonde has to fight to remember her actual goal of today. “Oh yes, well, I didn’t get them.”

 

As soon as the words leave her lips Octavia bursts into laughter and Raven simply rolls her eyes. “That’s fine, Octavia brought breakfast.”

 

The three gather around the kitchen island and sit in silence to eat breakfast, Clarke’s earlier interactions still floating in her thoughts somewhere. As she finishes her coffee she clears her throat, catching the other’s attention.

 

“Why is there so much mermaid controversy over here?” Clarke spoke up to talk over the coffee machine that was making Raven’s drink. 

 

“Something with an old pirate ship and some spooky story. It’s mostly just because everyone thinks they’re gonna  _ bring sailors to their grave _ .” Octavia brings air quotes around the last part of her explanation. 

 

Clarke nods in agreement, understandable agreement. Her attention is pulled from the conversation as the doorbell chimes in a soft decline like the waves crashing before receding on the beach. She’s off her chair and padding barefoot to the door, her hair still in it’s morning mess as she passes the mirror in the front room. 

 

No one important is expected so she shrugs before opening the door, and oh how she is wrong. 

 

“Clarke,” Lexa’s already in her exercise outfit with a water bottle in hand. Clarke instantly regrets opening the door, but she puts on her best morning smile she can before leaning against the door frame. “Sorry for stopping by in the middle of the day,” Clarke looked at her phone,  _ 9am _ ; “ but I have no other way of contacting you so I had to physically stop by. My brother and sister are having a party. Seeing as you are new they thought it might be nice to invite you to come.”

 

At the very mention of party Octavia was at Clarke’s side, “Can I bring my brother?” 

 

“Of course,” Lexa is a little shook by Octavia’s personal invitation but she handles it calmly.

 

“Cool, we’ll be there.” The younger girl accepts the invitation on Clarke and Raven’s behalf clearly without any intent on actually asking the two women.

 

The young Blake walks back into the kitchen to leave Clarke and Lexa in the doorway. “So I guess we’ll be there,” Clarke’s chuckle almost brings a full smile to Lexa but the blonde can see a hint of a smile on the girl’s normally flat lips. 

 

“Great. By the way, nice car.” Lexa slips her earbuds in before walking down the patio and beginning her run.


End file.
